BRISBANE 7-ELEVEN OPERATOR SET TO FACE COURT

THE 7-Eleven wage war has worsened, after the Fair Work Ombudsman launched legal action against two Brisbane stores for short-changing staff more than $31,000.

Jason Yuan has been accused of denying 21 employees penalty rates across his outlets located at 231 George Street and 174 Adelaide Street.

The latest allegations take the total number of 7-Eleven operators to face court to six since 2009.

Employees, including a number of international students, are owed amounts from $98 to $5080, after being underpaid during the 12 months to September 2014.

They were allegedly paid flat rates as low as $17.74 an hour for shift, Saturday, public holiday, overtime and late-night work.

Yuan faces maximum penalties of up to $10,200 per breach, as well as up to $51,000 per contravention for his partly-owned companies Vipper and Viplus.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says 7-Eleven is the subject of a national inquiry by the workplace watchdog into allegations of systemic underpayments and false records, with a final report expected to be released early this year.

The two Brisbane stores were among those targeted for surprise night visits as part of a tri-state operation in September last year.

Yuan had been advised about his obligations to pay lawful minimum penalty rates in 2013.

A directions hearing at Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane is scheduled on February 22.